All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Welcome to the holiday season in the Capital Region -- when there are more things to do than you can shake a peppermint stick at.

After the jump, you'll find a weekend guide to shopping, movies, theater, and all kinds of other fun stuff. Got something planned that you don't see here? It's the season of sharing, so drop the details in the comment section for everyone to see.

And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Troy Night Out
Friday: Burn off some calories wandering the Collar City on Friday at Troy Night Out. Shops and galleries will be open late with art, performances and Black Friday specials.

Holiday

Capital Holiday Lights
Friday-Sunday: The Capital Holiday Lights in Albany's Washington Park are open for the season. You can drive through 125 light displays and stop at the lake house for a snack and a visit with Santa and the reindeer. Friday-Sunday 6-9 pm - $15 and up

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical
Sunday: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the holiday TV classic, comes to the Proctors stage for a live show. Sunday at 1 pm & 4 pm -- $20 to $65

Holiday Sweets & Treats
Sunday: Proctors hosts Holiday Sweets & Treats, a family-friendly holiday celebration with kids activities, cookie decorating and a visit from Santa. Sunday 2:30 pm - $15

Polar Express
Friday-Sunday: The Polar Express train starts this weekend on the Saratoga North Creek Railway. A round-trip journey to "the North Pole" complete with a visit from Santa. Friday-Sunday - various times and prices

Holiday markets
Holiday market season is underway. Here are a few you can check out this weekend.

Basilica Farm and Flea
Friday-Sunday: Basilica Hudson's annual Basilica Farm + Flea is back. The annual holiday market is a collaboration with Hudson River Exchange. "Created as an alternative to "Black Friday" culture, the annual market brings together a collection of quality products presented by a diverse group of about 125 regional makers, farmers, chefs and vintage collectors to promote the talents and resources within our community." Friday 2-5 pm / Saturday and Sunday 10 am-6 pm - admission is $5 for the whole weekend / free for kids under 12

The market is also hosting a "Black Friday Soiree" on Friday. Friday, November 27 5-9 pm

Black Friday Fair Trade Market
Friday-Saturday: The Delmar Presbyterian Church the sixth annual year Fair Trade Market, which offers products from around world. (It's a new location this year.) "It offers a magnificent array of ethically sourced jewelry, accessories, home goods, coffee and chocolate in a joyful, family-friendly setting." Friday and Saturday 10 am-3 pm

Home for the Holidays at Albany Institute
Friday-Sunday: Albany Institute of History and Art has free admission all weekend with special holiday activities, including a shop with "fun, old-fashioned toys, handmade ornaments, crafts and gifts by area artisans." Friday and Saturday 10 am-5 pm / Sunday noon-5 pm

Holiday Open House at The Shirt Factory
Friday-Sunday: The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls hosts a gift fair with artisan gifts, open artists studios, demonstrations, a holiday raffle. Friday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm

Saratoga Craft Marketplace
Saturday: The annual Saratoga Craft Marketplace at the Saratoga Springs City Center's annual sale -- now in its 40th year -- includes more than 100 artisans selling handmade crafts. Saturday 10 am-4:30 pm - admission is $5 (includes two raffle tickets) / kids under 12 are free

Small Business Saturday
Saturday: Small businesses throughout the Capital Region are celebrating Small Business Saturday this weekend, with special deals for people who like to keep their holiday shopping local.

Holiday Gift Shop at Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
Sunday: The Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence hosts a holiday gift market with unique, hand made gift items. each Sunday through December 27

Museums

A long weekend + family visiting = a great time to check out a museum. Here's what you can see:

+ The Albany Institute has a new exhibit -- Masterworks: 225 Years of Collecting. And you can also check out The Capital Region in 50 Objects. And museum admission is free Friday-Sunday this week as part of the Home for the Holidays program.

+ MASS MoCA has a handful of current exhibits -- and, of course, there's the huge Sol Lewitt retrospective. (There's also currently a car on site for collecting LEGO for Ai Weiwei.)

+ The Clark has a good permanent collection, and there's currently an exhibit about how works have been added to it.

+ The Norman Rockwell Museum is just over the border in Stockbridge.

+ The Arkell is an easy drive out west to Canajoharie. It currently has a display of winter landscapes, and an exhibit of works by William Joyce.

+ The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls has exhibits of American printmaking and works by photorealist Audrey Flack. (And there's more to do and eat in Glens Falls.)

+ Baseball fans could probably spend most of the day at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Stage

"You'll shoot your eye out!"
Friday-Sunday: A Christmas Story, the Musical starts this weekend at Capital Rep. It's the musical version of the classic story of Ralphie and his quest for a Red Rider BB gun. Friday-Sunday various times - $20 and up

Charley's Aunt
Friday-Sunday: Curtain Call Theater presents the farce Charlie's Aunt. Friday and Saturday at 8pm / Sunday at 3pm - $24

Comedy

Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show Ever: Andrew Ginsburg
Saturday: Actor/writer/comedian and champion bodybuilder/fitness expert Andrew Ginsburg will be at Proctors as part of the Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show Ever series. Also performing are Maria Heinegg, who has been featured on College Humor and The Huffington Post, and local favorites Ethan Ullman & Thomas Attila Lewis. Saturday 8 pm - $15

Electric City Improv
Friday: MopCo's newest format of short and longform improv games opens in the Proctors Underground. Friday 8 pm - $14 / $6 for students and seniors

Film

Holiday Inn
Saturday-Sunday: The Bow Tie in Saratoga kicks off the holiday season with screenings of Holiday Inn -- the Irving Berlin prequel to White Christmas. Friday and Saturday nights at 11pm and Saturday and Sunday mornings at 11 am

Duck Soup
The Madison Theater is screening the Marx Brothers classic Duck Soup this weekend.

ICFS Presents: Dangerous Men/I am Thor
Saturday: It Came From Schenectady presents a double feature of Dangerous Men and I am Thor at Proctors. Dangerous Men is a cult film about a woman who murders dangerous men after her fiancé is murdered. I am Thor is the story of steel-bending, brick-smashing, bodybuilding 70s and 80s cult rock star Jon Mikl Thor and his rise, fall, and comeback attempt. Prizes, surprises, themed drinks and comfy couches. Saturday 7 pm - $9 / $6 students

Sports

UAlbany basketball
Friday: The UAlbany men's basketball team is at SEFCU Arena to take on NJIT. Friday 7 pm - $12 and up

Sunday: The Great Danes are back at home to take on Yale. Sunday 2 pm - $12 and up

Hockey
Friday: The Albany Devils take on the Binghamton Senators at the Times Union Center. Friday 7 pm - $10 to $30

Siena basketball
Saturday: The Siena men's basketball team takes on Loyola at the Times Union Center in its home opener. Saturday noon - $8-$23

Music

Friday: Marianas Trench at Upstate Concert Hall
Pop rock. 8 pm - $20 ahead / $23 day of

Friday-Saturday: Annie and the Hedonists at Caffe Lena
Playing both nights. 8 pm - $20

Friday: Grainbelt at The Low Beat
As is tradition. 6 pm

Saturday: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic at Upstate Concert Hall
Funky. 8 pm - $25 ahead / $28 day of

Saturday: The Irish Rovers at The Egg
"[I]gnited the popularity of traditional Irish music in North America..." 7:30 pm - $34

Saturday: Don Byron and Friends at Helsinki Hudson
Soul and funk. 9 pm - $25

Sunday: Ballroom Thieves at Caffe Lena
Alt-country rock. 7 pm - $18

Farmers' markets
Stop by a farmers market for something local and delicious to take to a holiday party.
+ Troy Waterfront Farmers Market is inside the Atrium. Saturday 9 am-2 pm
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is indoors at the Lincoln Baths. Saturday from 9 am-1 pm
+ The Delmar Farmers Market is indoors at the Bethlehem Central Middle School. Saturday 9 am-1 pm
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket is at its indoor location at Proctors. Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market is inside at the Lincoln Baths Sunday from 10 am-3 pm

Basilica Hudson, Helsinki Hudson, The Mop & Bucket Company, Capital Rep advertise on AOA.